Our Top 3 Refreshing Summer Salad Recipes

June 24, 2019

Summer is the perfect season for refreshing fare, and with the season’s bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, the amount of delicious salad combinations is endless. Try any of the three refreshing summer salads below for a light meal that packs a nutritional punch or visit our Health Library for even more healthy recipes.

Bok Choy and Spinach Salad

One of our favorite weeknight recipes, this simple Asian salad with chicken is the perfect healthy substitute for heavy Chinese takeout.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 six-ounce skinless and boneless chicken breasts

3 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth

3 cups baby spinach, lightly packed

4 leaves bok choy

1/2 cup sliced scallions, green and white parts

2 clementines

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (optional)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

1. In medium saucepan, place chicken and broth over medium-high heat. When bubbles appear after roughly 8 minutes, reduce heat and let simmer until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees when inserted into thickest part of breast, about 20 minutes.

2. Cool chicken in broth until cool enough to tear into bite-size pieces. Pour broth through strainer lined with paper towel and reserve for another use.

3. Place spinach in salad bowl. Cut white part of bok choy leaves crosswise into thin slices, and add to spinach. Reserve green, leafy part to use in soup or stir-fry.

Pan-seared Fennel and Orange Salad

Put fresh summer herbs and juicy citrus fruits to good use in this bursting-with-flavor salad recipe.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

2 medium oranges

1 fennel bulb

1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

4 to 6 cups baby greens

1/2 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, pitted (optional)

Directions

1. Make dressing by whisking together lemon juice, orange juice, extra-virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard and fresh mint, and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

2. Cut about 1/2 inch off the top and bottom of orange, enough to expose flesh.

3. Stand orange up on cutting board. Using sharp knife, cut down and around orange, removing skin and pith, until no skin or pith remains.

4. Hold orange in one hand over a bowl. With other hand, run a small sharp knife along right and left sides of individual sections, loosening and freeing them, one by one, from membranes. Continue until orange is completely sectioned. Discard membrane. Set sections aside. Repeat previous steps with second orange.

3. In a small bowl, whisk lime juice with salt, mustard powder, and 4 or 5 grinds of pepper until salt dissolves. Pour dressing over salad and toss gently with fork to combine. At this point, salad can sit for up to 15 minutes.

4. Just before serving, stack basil leaves, then cut crosswise into thin strips and add to the salad. Add mint, if desired.

Your healthiest, happiest summer yet begins with the right fuel. Make sure your meals are packed with the nutrients you need with more recipes from Baptist Health. To find more delicious meal ideas, browse our Health Library for recipes.